Charles Arthur Bierschbach, 92, passed away April 17, 2010, in Kennewick, WA.

Charles was born June 11, 1917, in Halstead, Kansas, to Charles and Pearl Bierschbach. When Charles was a year old, his parents and sisters Helen and Margaret all moved to Glendora, California, where his younger brothers were born. Charles's father, a carpenter, built their home there. When Charles was eight years old, his father died and two years later his mother and brother Elmer died.

Charles, his sisters, and his brother Robert, moved to Redlands, California, when his sisters found employment there in 1930. He graduated from Redlands High School in 1933. He attended San Bernardino Valley College and left when employed by Bank of America.

In 1940 he married Margaret Peggy Vencill. In 1942 he enlisted in the Navy, where he served aboard the USS Ahrens, a destroyer escort, as a chief radio technician until 1945.

He returned to college and graduated from the University of Redlands and then from the University of Southern California School of Law. Shortly thereafter he passed the California state bar examination and obtained his license to practice law.

In 1956 he began his law practice in Redlands. He was appointed San Bernardino County Court Commissioner. He was soon elected Superior Court Judge in and for the county of San Bernardino, California.

He retired in 1986 and he and Margaret moved to Richland in 1989 to be near their son Mark and his wife, Vicki, and their grandchildren, Grant and Alivia. For several winters he and Margaret enjoyed their home in Sun City, Arizona, where they could be near their daughter Mary and their granddaughter Alice.

For the last two years, Charles and Margaret have been residents of Charbonneau retirement home, where they have enjoyed the company of many friends.

During his active years in Southern California, Charles was a public accountant, a Commander of American Legion Post 106 in Redlands for two years, chairman of a local Red Cross chapter, and served on boards for the Salvation Army and United Way. He was also a member of the Rotary and Elks clubs, the San Bernardino County Bar Association, Retired County Employees Association and the Retired California Judges Association.

The family deeply appreciates the care given him by all his doctors, especially Dr. Fred Foss, and the consideration shown him by Tom and Monica Judy, managers of Charbonneau and the staff; care givers Kalpana Ganguly, Ramona Torres, and Young Lee; Rev. Kirk Ruehl, hospice chaplain; hospice nurse Peggy, and volunteer Lynn.

Charles is survived by wife Margaret of nearly 70 years; son Mark and his wife Vicki of Kennewick; daughter Mary Norby and her husband Greg, of West Kelowna, B.C., Canada; grandchildren Grant and Alivia Bierschbach, Kennewick, and Alice Brent, South Bend, Indiana.